Forest soils of Ontario - Soil monolith collection at GLFC
Project description
Soil is defined as naturally occurring, unconsolidated material at the earth’s surface that is capable of supporting plant growth. Soil properties and horizon development vary with depth, and are dependent on climate, organisms, topographic position, parent material and time. Soil classification is a method of organizing information so that it can be recalled systematically and communicated. The Canadian System of Soil Classification defines taxa based on observable and measurable soil properties that reflect the process of soil genesis and environmental factors. In forest ecosystems, soil classification assists scientists and practitioners in assessing land productivity, suitability of a site for a particular tree species and the potential impact of management practices on soil physical and chemical properties. Soil classification information facilitates improved land management decisions that maintain soil productivity and therefore preserve forest sustainability and long-term ecosystem health.
A soil monolith is a vertical section of the soil profile that is extracted from the field and mounted for display and teaching purposes. The natural appearance of the soil, including its horizonation, colour and structure is preserved using this technique.
The soil monoliths shown on this website are displayed at the Great Lakes Forestry Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. The profiles sampled are located at experimental sites that are being studied as part of the research of the Soil and Water Sustainability Project and are representative of soil types found in north-eastern Ontario. Many of the profiles are from locations visited during the field tours of the 10th North American Forest Soils Conference held in Sault Ste. Marie in 2003.
Dystric brunisol
80-year-old fire-origin jack pine stand on silty loam material over glacio-fluvial sand and gravel near Chapleau. This soil has a strongly developed Ae horizon, however the low accumulation of iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) in the B horizon excludes it from the Podzolic Order.
Diagnostic properties of Brunisolic Order - sufficient horizon development to exclude from Regosolic, but lacking in specific horizons associated with other soil orders.
Humo-ferric podzol
6-year-old jack pine planted after a forest fire on a medium textured material over glacio-fluvial sand deposit near Foleyet. Organic layers are absent in this profile due to the forest fire. This well-drained profile has a strongly developed B horizon with bright colours.
Diagnostic properties of Podzolic Order - B horizons with accumulation of humified organic matter combined with aluminum (Al) and iron (Fe).
Mesisol
Uneven-aged black spruce stand on peat over fine to medium textured glaciolacustrine deposits near Cochrane. This profile illustrates a gradient of decomposition from undecomposed sphagnum moss at the surface to strongly decomposed peat deeper in the profile.
Diagnostic properties of Organic Order – horizons composed largely of organic materials frequently saturated with water for prolonged periods.
Gray luvisol
Boreal mixed wood spruce/aspen stand on soil formed in lacustrine sediments near Cochrane. This profile has developed in clay parent material on an imperfectly drained site.
Diagnostic properties of Luvisolic Order - light coloured eluvial horizons and B horizons with accumulation of silicate clays.
Humo-ferric podzol
70-year-old fire-origin jack pine stand on a sandy ridge overglacio-fluvial sand and gravel near Wharncliffe. This profile represents a weakly developed podzol, lacking aneluviated A horizon.
Diagnostic properties of Podzolic Order -B horizons with accumulation of humified organic matter combined with aluminum (Al) and iron (Fe).
Ferro-humic podzol
Uneven-aged mature sugar maple-yellow birch forest on a stony, silty-loam ablation till over compacted sandy basal till at the Turkey Lakes Watershed north of Sault Ste. Marie. The fine textures in the upper portion of this podzol have resulted in the accumulation of organic matter from decayed plants and animals. Various sized, angular rocks throughout the profile are characteristic of glacial till deposits.
Diagnostic properties of Podzolic Order -B horizons with accumulation of humified organic matter combined with aluminum (Al) and iron (Fe).
Regosol
50-year-old red pine plantation on a deep deltaic deposit of sand at the Kirkwood Forest,Thessalon. This profile has developed after reforestation of plowed agricultural fields that were abandoned in the early 1900s.
Diagnostic properties of Regosolic Order -weak horizon development due to youthfulness of parent material. Regosolicsoil horizons do not meet requirements of other soil orders diagnostic horizons.
Orthic humic gleysol
15-year-old black spruce planted after clearcut harvest on soil formed in lacustrine sediments near Cochrane. This profile has a pronounced band of colour with low chroma (known as gleying) indicative of water table influence and reducing conditions.
Diagnostic properties of Gleysolic Order - redox features indicative of periodic of prolonged saturation with water and reducing conditions.
Humo-ferric podzol
95-year-old fire-origin upland black spruce stand on a stone free glaciolacustrine deposit with 40 % clay content within the B horizon. This soil was sampled from the Esker Lakes Research Area, 100 km north of Cochrane. The forest floor at the site is dominated by feathermoss and slow decomposition rates have resulted in deep organic horizons up to 20 cm thick.
Diagnostic properties of Podzolic Order - B horizons with accumulation of humified organic matter combined with Al and Fe.
Sombric brunisol
Mixed hardwood stand with conifer species also present including white pine, white spruce and balsam fir near Basswood Lake north of Thessalon. This profile has developed in an acidic glacial till, has a thick Ah horizon and has developed mottles in the C horizon due to a seasonal high water table.
Diagnostic properties of Brunisolic Order - sufficient horizon development to exclude from Regosolic, but lacking in specific horizons associated with other soil orders.
Project status
- On-going